Located in Japan’s Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture is the charming onsen town of Shuzenji Onsen. Shuzenji Onsen is rich in culture and history dating back to more then 1,200 years. Shuzenji Onsen is full of natural beauty with mountain rivers cutting through town, bamboo forests, and beautiful mountains surrounding the town on all sides. For a small onsen resort town, there is plenty to do and see here at Shuzenji Onsen. Walk the designated path that leads to all major attractions in town, explore the historical streets, sample local cuisine, and relax at an onsen at one of the famous ryokans. Visitors can also venture from town and sample local craft beer at Baird Brewery and hike to a beautiful waterfall surrounded by wasabi fields.  **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or banners throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support! Where is Shuzenji Onsen and the Izu Peninsula Shuzenji Onsen is nestled in the mountains on Japan’s Izu Peninsula. The Izu Peninsula is located on the Japanese Prefecture of Shizuoka and is a short journey from the Mt. Fuji area.  This small town is popular among locals that live in Tokyo as it is easily accessible and a great nature escape from the world’s largest city. Visitors can take the shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Mishima Station in about an hour. From Mishima Station, it is about a 30 minute train ride to Shuzenji. Once at Shuzenji, hop on a 10 minute bus ride to the onsen resorts.  We rented a car from Tokyo and drove to Shuzenji Onsen. The route was about 150 km and took anywhere from 2 hours to 2.5 hours.  Exploring Shuzenji Onsen: Walking Course for Tourists Although small, Shuzenji Onsen has a lot of attractions that are worthwhile. Known as “Little Kyoto of Izu,” visitors can come here and not be overwhelmed by tourists like in Kyoto.  It is recommended to stay at one of the resorts and enjoy a relaxing vacation at one of the many onsen areas. Personally, we just did a day trip from the Mt. Fuji area and had no time to go to the onsen, instead we did a walking course that went to Shuzenji Temple, the Bamboo Grove Path, Kaede-bashi Bridge, Tokko-no-Yu, and ended at he Grave of Minamoto no Noriyori.  We started the walking tour at Shuzenji Temple. This temple was founded in the year 807 by a Buddhist Monk named Kobo Daishi Kukai.  The path then led us Tokko-no-Yu and the Kaede-bashi Bridge.  Tokko-no-Yu is considered to be a symbol of Shuzenji Onsen, as it is said to be the oldest hot spring in Izu with history dating back to Kobo Daishi Kukai. Visitors will also notice the beautiful red colored bridges around Shuzenji then cross the Katsura River. Kaede-bashi Bridge and Katsura Bridge are photogenic bridges that are stunning to look at especially during the autumn months when the maple leaves turn red.  My favorite stop along the walking course was the Bamboo Grove Path and I have to admit, it rivals Kyoto’s Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. This one was much smaller but without tourists, we had the bamboo forest to ourselves. It wasn’t shoulder to shoulder traffic like in Kyoto and no one got into our photos. There was a lovely path through the Bamboo Grove with nice seats in the center for a well deserved break. The final stop along the walking course before going back into town, was a brief stop at the Grave of Minamoto no Noriyori. According to a sign at the site, Noriyori was a warlord during the Kamakura period between 1185-1333. To keep the story short, Noriyori won the battle of Ichinotani, putting his name out there. There was a lot of bad blood between him and his brothers. His older brother ordered him to murder his younger brother. Once Noriyori refused, his older brother no longer trusted him. There was betrayal against the local Shogunate, and Noriyori was imprisoned at Shuzenji Temple. Later on, Noriyori committed suicide and is buried at the current site.  Venturing Beyond Shuzenji Onsen Shuzenji Onsen is a small town. Unless you plan on relaxing at the onsen resorts for an entire day, there is plenty of things to do and see around Shuzenji that are a short drive away. You could always drive the Izu Peninsula, stop at other towns like Ito and Nishizu, check out the beautiful coastline, or go on a hike. If you are like us and limited to a day to explore Shuzenji and the surrounding area, we stopped at Baird Brewing Company for an afternoon drink and then took some photos of Joren Falls and checked out the wasabi fields.  Baird Brewery Gardens Shuzenji In my Beer Guide to Japan I mention that craft breweries are starting to pop up all over Japan. Baird Brewing is one of the bigger breweries in Japan and has been brewing delicious craft beer since 2000.  Baird Brewery has several brewing facilities and taprooms, and one of the is just a quick 5-10 minute drive from Shuzenji Onsen. The taproom has been around since 2014 and has a relaxing atmosphere. Tucked into the forests on the Izu Peninsula, down a questionable road it was hard to believe that such a giant facility existed here.  The taproom here has 20 different beers on tap to include their original lineup and seasonal beers, you can order various sizes and even a flight. The interior is very inviting, there is also a large outside deck. Besides beer, they make delicious non-alcoholic drinks and have a small bar menu.  Out of the beers I had here, I enjoyed the Temple Garden Yuzu Ale, Ganko Oyaji Barley Wine, and Joie De Vivre.  Joren Falls and Wasabi Less then a 20 minute drive from Baird Brewery is one of the most beautiful waterfalls I’ve seen in Japan, Joren Falls.  There is so much more to Joren Falls then just taking beautiful photos of this waterfall. There is a large parking area here with several facilities to include restrooms, a restaurant, gift shop, and a café.  Walk behind the restaurant and there is a set of stairs that lead down to Joren Falls. Along the way there are a few gift shops and one place sells fishing poles. Visitors can rent a pole and catch trout and have them cooked there. Joren Falls is considered one of Japan’s top 100 most beautiful waterfalls. The falls is 25 meters high and the width is about 7 meters. The falls are spectacular to look at and the river below is just as beautiful. I set up my camera and took long exposure shots using my Hoya Pro ND Filter. Not only is this area famous for Joren Falls, but they grow wasabi. Wasabi fields are found in the region and visitors can try everything from wasabi beer to wasabi soft served ice cream.  Conclusion on Shuzenji Onsen Whether you are visiting Shuzenji Onsen to relax at one of the resorts or here as a day trip to immerse yourself in its culture and history, Shuzenji offers an unforgettable experience. Take in the natural beauty of this town and the surrounding village. Afterwards, go and enjoy a beer at Baird Brewery’s taproom or continue south to Joren Falls and sample a few treats that are infused with wasabi. No matter what your plan is when visiting the Izu Peninsula, it is a nice escape from the fast paced modern world.  Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 📸   Plan Your Trip: 🗺️✈️🇯🇵  Booking Accommodations ⛺️🛖  For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com Activities and Tours  🏖️🚁  Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.  In need of a car rental? 🚗🚘  I recommend checking with Rental Cars. Train Travel 🚂🚊  For the JR Pass, tickets can be purchased on the JR Pass site. 

Hakone, Japan is known for Owakundai, The Hakone Open-Air Museum, and Heiwa no Torii, a famous Torii Gate built on the shores of Lake Ashi. A short drive from the Mt. Fuji area and an easy trip from Tokyo, Hakone is a popular tourist destination where visitors come for its beautiful resorts, many attractions, and scenic areas. Hakone has been on my list of places to visit in Japan for a while now, mainly because of the Heiwa no Torii. I am glad I visited Hakone, but after leaving the area, I felt both satisfied and disappointed. So is Hakone worth visiting? **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or banners throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support! Getting to and Around Hakone Going from Tokyo to Hakone is fairly straight forward and there are multiple ways to get to Hakone from Tokyo. Most visitors traveling to Hakone will arrive via train🚝 or car🚗rental.  If renting a car is not an option. Visitors can take a train from Tokyo to Hakone. There are direct routes from Shinjuku to Hakone via Odawara. The train ride takes about 1.5 hours and costs about ¥2500 one-way. You can also take the shinkansen from Tokyo to Odawara and transfer to Hakone.  If you are familiar with driving in Japan or feel a little adventurous, I highly recommend renting a car and driving to Hakone from Tokyo. Driving gives you the freedom you want to explore. We rented a vehicle through Agoda and had no issues driving to Hakone.  Many of the attractions in and around Hakone are spread out and driving is the easiest way to reach these destinations.  Depending on the attraction, there are buses, gondolas, and boats to take you to various attractions around Hakone.  Things to Do in Hakone that are a Must If you are looking for things to do in Hakone or Hakone attractions, I came up with a few of my most recommended sites to see and places to visit. I believe one day in Hakone is plenty of time to visit the must see sites. Here are a few of the attractions and things we did, that make Hakone worth visiting. The attractions listed below are in the order of what we did while taking a day trip to Hakone from the Mt. Fuji area.  Choanji Buddhist Temple Driving from Gotemba to Hakone we first stopped at a Buddhist Temple called Choanji. There are people that say “Once you see one temple, you’ve seen them all.” I highly disagree, I’ll visit every temple I see, same goes with cathedrals in Europe. But I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to visit Choanji Temple, especially because it is somewhat unique.  Choanji Buddhist Temple is outside of the town of Hakone and easily reached by car. Although the temple wasn’t much to look at, the garden and unique statues made Choanji well worth a visit. There are over 200 rakan statues scattered throughout the temple grounds, each statue being unique. There was also a peaceful pond here, large cemetery, and gorgeous views.  Owakudani Visiting Owakudani is my most recommended thing to do in Hakone. The nature here was fascinating. Owakudani is a volcanic area known for it’s sulfur springs and Kuro Tamago (Black Eggs). Let’s start with Kuro Tamago. These are literally normal eggs that they boil in the sulfuric springs on site. Due to the boiling process, the outside of the eggs turn black. You can buy the Kuro Tamago at several locations at Owakudani, usually in packs of 4. It is said that with each egg you eat, it will add an additional 7 years to your life.  At the site of Owakudani, there are several buildings mainly souvenir shops, cafes, and restaurants. There is also a Geo Museum on the grounds that was worth a visit. The Geo Museum was small but it was only ¥100. There are several observation decks around the area for visitors to get views of the sulfuric springs. There is a trail that gets visitors closer to the activity, but as of today this is a guided tour only and reservations are required. Hakone Open-Air Museum One of the more surprising sites and attractions in Hakone was the Hakone Open-Air Museum. When I think of open air museums, I think of places like Shirakawa-go, historical homes and buildings that have been restored in a traditional setting. But the Hakone Open-Air Museum was more of a modern art museum in a beautiful outdoor park. I am not big into modern art, but I like the idea of it being outside in nature. Many of the sculptures were interesting and the nature was beautiful, so I do recommend visiting the Hakone Open-Air Museum.  The park itself was huge, you could spend all day here. There are numerous trails that lead to different exhibits. There is a Picasso exhibition that many might find interesting. My favorite piece of art was the Symphonic Sculpture. You can walk inside here and to the top of the beautiful stained glass silo looking sculpture.  For more information about this attraction, feel free to visit the Hakone Open-Air Museum Website. Amasake Tea House A beautiful and traditional 400 year old tea house is just a short drive from Lake Ashi. I found out about this tea house while browsing through Atlas Obscura.  The Amasake Teahouse is a thatched roof traditional building, that was used as a rest area for travelers back in the day. Today, it hasn’t changed much. Visitors are welcome to come here and relax, drink matcha tea, or try their Amazake. Amazake is a non-alcoholic rice wine. Their menu and recipes have remained unchanged since their opening 400years ago.  Hakone Shrine Hakone’s most favorite and sought after attraction is Hakone Shrine and its Torii Gate that is seen standing in the water. This is the torii gate you see on every postcard and travel article. Because of its beauty and popularity, this shrine can be very crowded with foreigners.  In Hakone, there are several parking areas around Lake Ashi. You can then walk to Hakone Shrine. Hakone Shrine is a beautiful Shinto Shrine surrounded by huge Cedar Trees. You can follow the shrine down to the torii gate or take a hiking trail that hugs Lake Ashi to the torii gate. We took the trail to the left and followed it until we reached the gate and then followed the path to the shrine.  While hiking the trail, I couldn’t help but notice how peaceful the small hike was. It followed the beautiful Lake Ashi, the trees were calm, and hardly a soul in sight. Until we reached the floating torii gate. It was a zoo here. There were at least a hundred people gathered around the gate and a long line of tourists waiting to get that iconic photo of them under the shrine with the lake in the background.  This was my big disappointment I mentioned earlier on. Now that Japan is open to tourism it has become the new normal. Every major attraction has lines now because tourists want to take a selfie with the attraction and Hakone Shrine is no different. I am simple, I have my DSLR camera and just want good shots of the torii gate with the pleasant background. Unfortunately, to get a good photo I’d have to wait in line like everyone else for 45 minutes to an hour. I found this to be a huge waste of time and just stood to the side and too quick photos once people moved out of the area. Unfortunately, my photos weren’t as good or creative as I’d hope, but it wasn’t worth the wait. It was frustrating to stand there and watch groups of people go to take photos. First they would all take a selfie, then a couple photo, then a group photo, and so on. Then the photographer would take 100 photos from different angles. This was absurd and then to think it takes 2-5 minutes per person and group with a hundred people in line.  I do think Hakone Shrine and the floating torii gate were beautiful and the area is very picturesque. But the mass amounts of tourists taking photos took away from the beauty of it all, that is just my opinion.   Lake Ashi Lake Ashi is one of the main natural attractions in Hakone. On clear days, Mt. Fuji might make an appearance offering visitors picturesque views of Japan’s most iconic mountain.  Lake Ashi is a popular attraction for several reasons. You can get great views of Fuji, see Heiwa no Torii, and take unique boat tours across the lake.  Visitors can rent boats on Lake Ashi, there are even swan boats that can be rented for ¥1500 a half hour. There is a ferry terminal here for the unique lake cruises. One of the more unique cruise ships is a boat made to look like a pirate ship.  So, Is Hakone Worth Visiting? Is Hakone worth visiting? The short answer is yes! But I personally don’t recommend visiting Hakone just to see the floating Torii Gate at Hakone Shrine. If you are like me, you’ll just be disappointed. Instead, I recommend turning your Hakone visit into a fun filled day trip and check out the other attractions and sites like eating kuro tamago at Owakudani or enjoying a match tea at Amasake Tea House.  Obviously, you can’t go to Hakone without seeing Hakone Shrine and the floating torii gate. Maybe some of you are willing to wait in line for a photo, after all it is most likely a once in a lifetime opportunity. My recommendation would be, especially if you are staying in Hakone would be to wake up at sunrise and head over the the shrine to be the late morning crowds.  Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 📸   Plan Your Trip: 🗺️✈️🇯🇵  Booking Accommodations ⛺️🛖  For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com Activities and Tours  🏖️🚁  Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.  In need of a car rental? 🚗🚘  I recommend checking with Rental Cars. Train Travel 🚂🚊  For the JR Pass, tickets can be purchased on the JR Pass site. 

The Chugoku region is the western most region on Japan’s Honshu island. Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori, and Yamaguchi, make up the 5 prefectures of the Chugoku region. A few major cities like Hiroshima and Okayama call this region home. A major draw to this part of Japan is the vast wooded areas, mountains, and cozy small towns. I loved exploring everything this region of Japan has to offer, especially the off the beaten villages tucked away in the mountains or along the coastline. This post is about my favorite small towns in the Chugoku region of Japan. 🇯🇵  ** This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or widgets throughout the page, whether it be Viator, Booking.com, Agoda, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support! Japan’s Chugoku Region There are a total of 47 prefectures in Japan. Breaking Japan down further, there are a total of 8 geographical regions: Chubu, Chugoku, Hokkaido, Kansai, Kanto, Kyushu, Shikoku, and Tohoku.  Japan’s Chugoku region makes up 5 prefectures on the western side of Honshu. These 5 prefectures include: Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori, and Yamaguchi.   Jill and I have traveled around Japan’s Chugoku region extensively and have visited great cities like  Hiroshima. Honestly, some of the small towns in the Chugoku region were amongst our favorites! Below is a list of our 5 favorite small towns in the Chugoku region of Japan. Iwami Ginzan and the town of Omori In Shimane prefecture lies the small town and ancient silver mining community of Iwami Ginza. Belonging to Oda City, Iwami Ginzan is one of Japan’s best kept hidden secrets. Iwami Ginzan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its historical significance and preservation.  Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine is the main attraction in the area. If visiting the mine, be prepared to walk. There is a main parking lot and a road that passes by local areas, but the mine is tucked back deep in the forest.  Since Iwami Ginzan is a World Heritage Site, there is a fee of  ¥410. The price is worth the adventure as visitors get a chance to walk a few hundred meters through one of the ancient mines. You enter in one side and exit the mine at a different location, but the path is well marked and you end up on the same path.  After exploring the mines, I highly recommend heading to the small town of Omori. This might be my favorite small town in Japan’s Chugoku region. Omori doesn’t take but 15-20 minutes to walk through, but the old homes lining the ancient cobble stone streets and moss covered shrines makes this town so enjoyable. There is also a yummy German bakery in town called Hidaka and some decent restaurants. Before leaving Omori, check out the Caves of the 500 Arhats.  Takehara Takehara is a well preserved historical town located in Hiroshima prefecture. Takehara began as a merchant town famous for both salt and sake.  Today, visitors can walk the cobblestone streets of Takehara, see the old merchant shops, and visit the beautiful shrines. One shrine that is highly recommended to visit is the Saihoji Temple. This Buddhist temple is built on the hillside and offers gorgeous views of the small town and surrounding mountains.  Tomonoura Tomonoura, a quaint fishing village in Hiroshima prefecture is a port town just outside of the city of Fukuyama. Tomonoura is your typical small fishing village in Japan. It has narrow alley ways lined with historical buildings with easy access to the Seto Inland Sea. Apparently back in the day, ships would dock here during unfavorable oceanic conditions, because of the boat traffic, Tomonoura began to thrive.  It is recommended to visit the old town center and simply walk around and explore. View the Seto Inland Sea from the many view points, visit the Irohamaru Museum, pay a visit to the ancient shrines, pop in and out of the local shops, and find a good place to eat.  Tomonoura is one of Japan’s small towns but you can easily spend a half day to full day here. Afterwards, it is recommended to pay a visit to the city of Fukuyama to see Fukuyama Castle and Kusadoinari Shrine.  Tsuwano Tsuwano is a small samurai town located in the mountains of Shimane prefecture. Tsuwano is known mainly for the Tsuwano Castle Ruins and Inari Shrine, both attractions are located just outside of town.  Tsuwano Castle Ruins sit high on top of a hill overlooking the town of Tsuwano. The castle here was built in 1325 but was unfortunately dismantled during the Meiji Restoration. Today, the stone foundation of the castle still remains. No matter what, a visit to the top of the castle is a must when visiting Tsuwano, for the views alone. There is a convenient but old chair lift that runs from the bottom of the hill to the castle ruins. The lift is an adventure in itself. But there are also hiking trails that reach the castle ruins.  After the castle ruins, the Inari Shrine is a must visit. The shrine is bright red and has a beautiful Torii Gate walking path that leads to and from the shrine. Walking through the Torii Gates was definitely a highlight for us.  After visiting Tsuwano Castle Ruins and the Inari Shrine, then make your way to town. Tsuwano’s downtown area is relatively flat, so it is very walkable and most attractions and sites are all located on the central road. You can view the samurai homes, western style church, sample sake, visit museums, and grab a snack or sit down at one of the local restaurants. Lining the main road, there is a beautiful little stream full of large Koi fish.  Yanai Yanai is one of my favorite small towns in Japan’s Chugoku region and probably the one I visited the most. Yanai is located in Yamaguchi prefecture about 30 km south of Iwakuni. The streets of Yanai are lined with homes that date back to the Edo period. But you don’t really come to Yanai to look at the buildings. In fact, Yanai is famous for their Gold Fish Lanterns. You can see these red and white gold fish shape lanterns decorated throughout town, on each street and every shop. In fact, visitors can get the chance to make their own gold fish lantern. Head over to Yanai-nishigura to purchase or try your own at making the famous gold fish lantern. The people working here are always so friendly and helpful. While you are at it, cross the street and visit the Sagawa Soy Sauce Factory. Purchase some locally made soy sauce and check out the factory!  Conclusion Visiting the small towns of Japan’s Chugoku region offers visitors a chance to venture off the beaten path and experience authentic Japanese culture, history, and natural beauty. Some of my favorite places in Japan has to be the small villages in the countryside.  These towns showcase traditional crafts, have great restaurant options, and offer warm hospitality that sometimes is overlooked in larger cities like Tokyo or Osaka.  Whether you are buying Gold Fish lanterns in Yanai or simply walking around he quaint town of Tsuwano, these hidden gems in Japan’s Chugoku region are a must visit and offer a different side of Japan travel.  Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 📸   Plan Your Trip: 🗺 ✈️ 🇯🇵  Booking Accommodations ⛺️ 🛖  For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com Activities and Tours  🏖 🚁  Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.  In need of a car rental? 🚗 🚘  I recommend checking with Rental Cars. Train Travel 🚂 🚊  For the JR Pass, tickets can be purchased on the JR Pass site. 

Hiroshima is one of Japan’s most well known cities, for obvious reasons. Hiroshima does have a dark past but this city rose from the ashes to become a beautiful,  lively, and well respected city. Hiroshima City is an easy city to explore with most of the attractions being within walking distance from the Peace Memorial Park and Hiroshima Castle. Hiroshima deserves minimum one day of exploring if not two. After successfully visiting what Hiroshima has to offer there are so many day trips from Hiroshima that are worthwhile. Just a couple of hours or less, you can see towns and attractions like the Floating Torri Gate at Miyajima or take a ferry to Okunoshima and pet hundreds of wild rabbits. In this post, I’ve outlined 10 of my favorite day trips from Hiroshima.  ** This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or widgets throughout the page, whether it be Viator, Booking.com, Agoda, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support! 10 Day Trips from Hiroshima I used to live in Iwakuni and have frequented Hiroshima many times. Since living in Okinawa, I’ve traveled to Hiroshima a few times and have explored Hiroshima and the surrounding prefectures extensively. The 10 day trips from Hiroshima listed below are my most recommended trips from the city of Hiroshima. The list includes everything from nature to larger cities. The day trips listed below are in order from closest to farthest away from Hiroshima.  1. Miyajima About 21 Km or 25 minutes south of Hiroshima is Itsukushima, otherwise known as Miyajima. Miyajima can be accessed from Hiroshima by car or street car. Once at the ferry port, it is a quick 10 minute ferry ride to the island of Miyajima.  Miyajima is considered to be one of Japan’s 3 most scenic sites and is home to Itsukushima Jinja Otorii (Grand Floating Torii Gate). The Floating Torii Gate is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is built in the water. Depending on the tides but at high tide the Torii Gate appears to be floating in the ocean.  Miyajima deserves a day in itself. For a small island, there is so much to do and see here. For people that love hiking, you can hike to the top of Mt. Misen and get amazing panoramic views of the area to include Hiroshima City off in the distance. One of my all time favorite temples in Japan, Daisho-in is at Miyajima and the beautiful Toyokuni Shrine and 5-storied Pagoda is not to be missed.  You might notice to that there are a lot of wild deer at Miyajima. The deer are cute and small and many tend to hang out near the ferry port and town area. Be cautious as they tend to sneak food from people not paying attention. Like all wild animals you may encounter in nature. Don’t feed them and enjoy them from a distance, although easier said then done!  2. Kure 24 Km or 30 minutes from Hiroshima is the port city of Kure. Kure is an easy drive from Hiroshima, but visitors can also take the Kure Line from Hiroshima Station. There is also a ferry that goes back and forth between Hiroshima Port and Kure. If you love maritime museums then Kure is right down your alley! Kure is home to the JMSDF Kure Museum and Kure Maritime Museum. It’s worth it to walk around the port area, you might catch a glimpse of some of the ships and submarines docked. 3. Iwakuni Iwakuni, my second home is one of the most recommended places to visit if staying in Hiroshima. Iwakuni is very accessible from Hiroshima by either car or train. Iwakuni deserves a day to explore. There are many famous sites around the Iwakuni area to include the Kintai Bridge, Iwakuni Castle, and Kikko Park. Don’t forget to try an unusual ice cream flavor at one of the ice cream shops near the Kintai Bridge.  For more information on Iwakuni, whether it be sites to see, restaurants to try, stunning hikes, or just general tips and recommendations, I have a post series, Guide to Iwakuni. 4. Takehara About 1 hour away from Hiroshima is the quaint and quiet town of Takehara. Takehara is one of the towns Jill and I stopped in for a quick breather while on our bike trip after cycling the Shimanami Kaido. Takehara has a historical district with traditional buildings dating back to the Edo period. Saihoji Temple was a highlight of our brief stop in Takehara. Saihoji Temple is a Buddhist Temple built on the hillside.  5. Rabbit Island Okunoshima, better known as “Rabbit Island”, is a popular tourist destination especially for families with younger children.  Just over an hours drive from Hiroshima is Tadanoumi Port. From here, visitors can take a quick 12 minute ferry ride to Okunoshima. Once on the island, the rabbits that call Okunoshima home are the stars of the show. There are approximately 900 wild rabbits here and they are all adorable! In fact, you can purchase rabbit food at Tadanoumi Port to feed the little bunnies. The rabbits are scattered throughout the island, there is a nice trail that circulates the island, so make sure to keep food for some of the rabbits that are farther from port. The rabbits are quite friendly, they have no problem with ganging up on us humans to beg for food and pets.  There are also WWII sites around the island, a hotel, museum, and a café/restaurant.  6. Onomichi Onomichi is a popular destination, mainly due to the fact that it is the beginning or ending location for the Shimanami Kaido. Onomichi does make for a great day trip from Hiroshima as there is plenty to do and see here. Driving distance is about 1 hour and 15 minutes from Hiroshima. There is also a train that connects the cities.  Onomichi lies on the Seto Inland Sea but is surrounded by hills and mountains. The town is somewhat built on the hillside, so be prepared to walk!  When in Onomichi, it is recommended to visit the temples and Cat Alley. Cat Alley is a part of town that has become popular amongst cat enthusiasts due to the many stray but well cared for cats and the many cat themed cafes and decorations here.  7. Fukuyama Not far from Onomichi and one of my favorite day trips from Hiroshima is a visit to the Castle town of Fukuyama. Fukuyama is accessible by train, shinkansen, and driving.  I love Fukuyama, because it is the perfect day trip destination. There is just enough to do here for an entire day but I feel two days is a bit much unless planning on visiting outside attractions  My main recommendation for Fukuyama is to visit Fukuyama Castle. The castle here is not original but still impressive and the ground surrounding the castle are gorgeous.  I also recommend a visit to Kusadoinari Shrine. Kusadoinari Shrine is unique because of the architecture and color.  8. Bihoku Hillside Park About 1 hour and 20 minutes from Hiroshima is Bihoku Hillside Park. This is a nice day trip from Hiroshima as it’s something completely different then cities and towns like the other trips on the list.  Bihoku Hillside Park has a great mix of flower fields, open air museums, nature walks, plenty of playgrounds and activities for kids.  For an up to date list of attractions and events, it is recommended to visit the National Bihoku Hillside Park Website. 9. Kurashiki One of the more underrated destinations in Japan and an easy day trip from Hiroshima is the historic canal town of Kurashiki. Kurashiki is an ancient merchant town that is built up around canals. Kurashiki is very walkable as most the attractions are centered around the canal district. My main recommendation for Kurashiki is to simply walk around the historic down center, walk the small alley ways, hike up to the shrines on the hillside, and maybe take a canal tour if that is your thing! There are many souvenir shops within the historic center and great restaurants! 10. Okayama Just over a 2 hour drive from Hiroshima is the city of Okayama. Okayama is a large city that deserves a minimum of a day to explore if not a couple, but you can easily see the highlights in a single day trip from Hiroshima. The main highlights of Okayama include Okayama Castle and Korakuen Garden. Okayama Castle is known as the Crow Castle because its black color. I consider this to be one of the most beautiful castles in Japan but the inside is a bit of a let down. The inside of the castle is modern and as no real castle vibe to it, I’d recommend just enjoying it from the outside.  Korakuen Garden is considered to be one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan.  Conclusion Whether you are interested in seeing the Floating Torii Gate at Miyajima or petting cute rabbits at Rabbit Island, there are many day trips from Hiroshima that allow visitors to explore the surrounding region. If you are in to nature, WWII history, or simply want to see more of Japan, these day trips from Hiroshima are highly recommended. Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 📸   Plan Your Trip: 🗺 ✈️ 🇯🇵  Booking Accommodations ⛺️ 🛖  For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com Activities and Tours  🏖 🚁  Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.  In need of a car rental? 🚗 🚘  I recommend checking with Rental Cars. Train Travel 🚂 🚊  For the JR Pass, tickets can be purchased on the JR Pass site. 

Kobe, Japan pronounced Ko-Beh and not Ko-Bee, is a city in Japan on the outskirts of Osaka. When you think of Kobe, most people will think of the beautifully marbled Wagyu beef that comes from this region of Japan. Trust me, the Kobe beef was absolutely delicious but there are so many other things to do in Kobe that will keep any tourist occupied for days. Obviously, when in Kobe, try the world-renowned beef but also spend time at Ikuta Shrine, walk to the port and see the Earthquake Memorial and Be Kobe sign, stroll through Chinatown, check out the 19th century western homes, sample local brews, and make sure to walk down Motomachi Shopping Arcade Street.  **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or banners throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support! Where is Kobe and How to get Here? Kobe is located in the Japanese prefecture of Hyogo. Kobe is situated between the cities of Himeji and Osaka.  Kobe does have its own airport, Kobe Airport. The airport serves domestic flights all around Japan from Okinawa to Sapporo. International tourists who want to visit Kobe will most likely fly into Osaka’s Kansai International Airport✈️.  For vacationers in Japan traveling to Kobe via Shinkansen, there is Shin-Kobe located just north of the city. To access the city from Shin-Kobe, there is a subway line.  Visitors arriving to Kobe via the JR rails can go to Kobe-Sannomiya. Kobe-Sannomiya is the main station in Kobe and is accessible to most of the things to do in Kobe.  Kobe-Sannomiya is accessible from Osaka, Kyoto, Himeji, Okayama, and many other towns and cities.  Top Things to do in Kobe Kobe Beef is world-renowned and for good reason, it is probably some of the best beef in the world. But there is so much more to Kobe then just beef. If you are looking for things to do in Kobe, below I have outlined our itinerary of Kobe along with the attractions, sites, and restaurants that are recommended by us.  Kobe Beef – Expensive but Well Worth the Experience Kobe Beef is world-renowned as being some of the best beef in the world 🐃. Kobe Beef has beautiful marbling, which is the fat that gives it a lot of its flavor Trying authentic and true Kobe Beef is high on many foodies to do list, including mine. I’ve lived in Japan going on 4 years now, up until our trip to Kobe, I’ve never had Kobe Beef and was very much looking forward to trying this wonderful type of beef 🐂.  So what is Kobe Beef? How is it raised? and Why is Kobe Beef so expensive?  Kobe Beef is a type of Wagyu. Wagyu refers to specific breeds of cattle in Japan that are raised for their beef. Basically, all Kobe Beef is Wagyu, but not all Wagyu is Kobe Beef! Kobe Beef is produced from Tajima cattle which is a strain of cattle raised in the Japanese prefecture of Hyogo.  I believe there are some common misconceptions and myths regarding Kobe Beef and how this strain of Tajima cattle are raised. I grew up thinking, the Tajima cattle drank beer, got daily massages, and lived better lives then I do. This is not entirely true. Yes, the Tajima cattle are incredibly well cared for and consume higher quality food then most other cattle breeds. The farmers do their best to provide a stress-free environment for the cattle and do not pump them with hormones and other artificial crap. The farmers intent is to keep the breeding and life cycle process as natural as possible. To learn more about Wagyu and Kobe Beef, I found a good article from article from finewagyu.  Typically, Kobe Beef is the most expensive beef. So why is Kobe Beef so expensive? Several factors play into this, such as the care of the cattle, the food they receive, the natural environment and pace in which they grow up, and the quality of the meat that is produced.  The Hotel Monterey Kobe, where we stayed provided us with a few restaurant recommendations in Kobe that served an authentic Kobe Beef dining experience. We opted to go with a famous restaurant not far from the hotel called Mouriya. Prior to coming, I was well aware of the price of Kobe Beef and was willing to spend some serious money on this potential once in a lifetime experience.  Mouriya was certainly a fine dining experience. The restaurant was small and each group got a personal chef that cooked the beef teppanyaki style on an iron stove top right in front of us.  For dinner, Mouriya had a A and B set meal. The customer can select a cut of meat, the size, and specific course. I planned on going all out and ordered the 120g Premium A5 Sirloin Steak. Jill ordered the A5 Rib Road Steak 150g, and my dad had the 200g Premium A5 Sirloin Steak.  We each got the A set, which included an appetizer and grilled vegetables. The appetizer was a dish of roast beef which was fabulous. The vegetables started off with very finely cut garlic where the chef flipped each one over very carefully for several minutes to the point where they became like garlic chips. The vegetables was an assortment of mushrooms bean sprouts, and sweet potato, all which were phenomenal.   Finally, the chef started preparing the steaks, he carefully trimmed the steak and cooked it to perfection before placing it on the plates in front of us. Finally, the three of us got to sink our teeth into the world’s best beef. Like Hida Beef we had in Takayama, the Kobe Beef literally melts in your mouth like butter. The texture and flavor of Kobe Beef was unlike anything I’ve had, it was just perfect. Jill and my dad were equally as satisfied with their steaks. The Kobe Beef paired with the vegetables has got to be one of the best meals I’ve ever had. The set meal at Mouriya was well worth the price. I would gladly come back to Kobe and spend the money on Kobe Beef. Sorakuen Garden – A Peaceful Place to Escape and Relax For a nice escape from the modern city, it is recommended to visit Sorakuen Garden🎍. Sorakuen Garden is a Japanese-style garden with a central pond, streams, a waterfall, and a few western-style historical buildings, the Hassam House and Kodera Stable.  One of my favorite sites at Sorakuen Garden was the barge house boat or Kawagozabune. This was a barge that is from the late 1600’s used by feudal lords from Himeji.  Sorakuen Garden Hours and Admission Hours9:00 – 17:00 Closed on Thursdays and December 29th – January 3 AdmissionAdults – ¥300Children – ¥150 Chinatown – Sample the Street Food Kobe’s Chinatown (Nankinmachi) is just a block south of the Gai Shopping Arcade Street and stretches for several blocks. Chinatown is packed full with street food, restaurants, and shops.  Kobe’s Chinatown is the result of Kobe Port being open to foreign trade in the 1868. Kobe’s Chinatown is not as old or large as Yokohama’s Chinatown, but well worth exploring and sampling the delicious food that lines both sides of the street. We visited April (2023), and there were lines at the famous steamed bun shops, so we opted to eat street food and the street food at Kobe’s Chinatown did not disappoint. The pork buns were incredible.  Kobe Port and the Be Kobe Sign – Perfect Area to Practice Night Photography One of my favorite places in Kobe has to be Kobe Port. There is so much to do here, especially in the late evening. At the Kobe Port area, there is the famous Be Kobe sign, Port of Kobe Earthquake Memorial Park, Kobe Port Tower (currently under renovations), Mosaic, which is a huge shopping mall, and so many more restaurants, museums, and other fun activities.  The Port of Kobe Earthquake Memorial is a memorial n place here to commemorate the damage and lives lost during the great Earthquake that devasted the city in 1995. There is a small section here that the city decided to keep showing the damage done to the infrastructure. There are a few displays and information boards in the area for visitors to learn more about the devastating earthquake.  For night photography, this was a really cool place to practice slow shutter methods of the lights and water surrounding the port. I got some pretty cool photos of the Oriental Hotel in Kobe, the Ferris Wheel at Mosaic, and of the Maritime Museum.  Kobe Ijinkan – Explore Kobe’s Western-style Homes One of Kobe’s most popular attractions is the Kobe Ijinkan or Western Homes. In the Kitano area of Kobe there are quite a few western style homes sitting on the hillside. These homes are primarily from foreign traders that settled in the area in the 1800’s.  It is kind of a climb to get to the area as the homes are located on the hillside on the outskirts of the city. But it is manageable to walk here from Sannomiya Station. There is a sightseeing bus that does make a stop here at Kobe Ijinkan. For more information on the bus, route, and fare, here is a link to the  Shinki Bus website. Once at Kobe Ijinkan, it is recommended to walk around the neighborhood and maybe stop at one of the homes that has been turned into a café. A few of the homes have been turned into museums and prices range anywhere from ¥300 – ¥700, there is even a ¥1,300 pass that grants access to 3 homes. Out of all the homes, I enjoyed the Weathercock House the most.  Motomachi Shopping Street – One of Japan’s Best Arcade Streets Arcade streets in Japan are always fun to walk. Motomachi Shopping Street in Kobe is one of the best I’ve been to. This arcade street seemed to go on for miles. Motomachi Shopping Street was full of interesting shops, delicious looking restaurants, and modern cafes. For an arcade street of its size, Motomachi Shopping Street was very clean and safe.  While walking the arcade street, we found a German pastry shop called Juchheim’s. My mom being from Germany and Jill needing a break from walking all day, we all decided to pop in for a quick coffee/tea and slice of cake. The café did have a shop on the 1st floor and dining space on the second floor. If dining in, guests can order drinks, slices of cakes, or set courses. I got a slice of chocolate cake and a coffee. Although pricey the cake was delicious!  If visiting Kobe on a rainy day, Motomachi is a perfect way to spend an unpleasant weather day. After all, the shopping street is covered and there are hundreds of shops to pop in to.  Sample Local Beers – Open Air Brewery The craft beer scene in Kobe was surprisingly good and one of my favorite breweries in Kobe, Open Air, served all the traditional beers I like not to mention the food was great! The Hop Viking and Open Air IPA were my favorite beers they had on tap that day. Honestly, I got a flight and all the beers were decent. Open Air Brewery had two floors, the first floor was more of a bar area while the second floor had tables for guests. I can’t wait to go back to Kobe and try some other breweries and craft beer.  Recommended Places to Stay in Kobe Kobe is a large modern Japanese city, with that comes a lot of hotel options. You can find everything from Hostels to Resorts. If you are looking for just a no thrills Japanese hotel with a great breakfast you can

Yokohama is the second largest city in Japan right after Tokyo. Yokohama is very accessible from Tokyo and a quick 30-minute train ride from Haneda Airport. For such a large city, Yokohama is very walkable and easy to navigate. Chinatown is a must when visiting Yokohama, there are also many museums that are worthwhile to include the Cup Noodle, Ramen, and Japan Coast Guard Museums. We spent 3 days in Yokohama and barely scratched the surface. None the less, we explored a ton and here are some fun things to do in Yokohama.  Getting to Yokohama from Haneda Getting to Yokohama from Haneda Airport is a breeze. I recommend using the Japan Travel App to pinpoint which track to use and times. If curious about the Japan Travel App, I wrote about it in depth in my Train Travel in Japan post. The Japan Travel App is a life saver when traveling around Japan.  It’s about a 30-35 minute train ride from Haneda Airport✈️. Once you find the correct terminal station take the Keikyu Line Airport Express to Yokohama Station. The cost for this trip is ¥370 one way.  From Tokyo Station🚉, it’s about a 25-30 minute direct train ride. Take the JR Tokaido Main Line. Cost is ¥480 and the train leaves about every 10 minutes.  I found that the Sakuragicho Station is closer to all the sites in Yokohama. Sakuragicho Station puts you right by the Yokohama Air Cabin🚠 and is within walking distance to the Yokohama Port Museum, Cup Noodle Museum, and all the fun attractions on Shinko Island.  Sakuragicho Station is one stop from Yokohama Station. It is a 4 minute train ride and costs ¥210. Sakuragicho Station can be accessed from Yokohama Station by either the Yokohama City Subway Blue Line or the JR Keihintohoku Line – Negishi Line.  Fun Things to do in Yokohama Yokohama offers plenty of things to do, it’s almost impossible to get bored here. Whether you are into shopping, sight seeing, eating, or just wandering around a big city, there is something in Yokohama for everyone. We like to do a little bit of everything from trying local food and sampling beers to visiting unique or popular attractions. Here are some of the fun things to do in Yokohama that we did and highly recommend.  Do Not Miss the Japan Coast Guard Museum One of the most interesting and wildest museums I’ve been to in Japan is the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) Museum Yokohama. The museum is free and is open Tuesday – Sunday from 10:00 – 17:00, closed Mondays.  What made the JCG Museum so unique was that it revolved around an incident that occurred between the Japanese Coast Guard and a North Korean spy ship 🚤.  On December 22, 2001 the Japanese Coast Guard received a tip about suspicious activity occurring south of the island of Kyushu, not far from the island chain of Okinawa. A Japan Coast Guard ship was dispatched to track the movements of the suspicious ship. The JCG gave out several warnings to the suspicious ship for it to stop. The ship fled and conducted a zig zag pattern in attempts to escape JCG. More attempts were made for the suspicious ship to stop, finally warning shots from JCG were fired. The first warning shot was fired in the air, the next shot was fired in the water near the North Korean ship. Neither warning shot stopped the suspicious boat, so the JCG shot the hull of the ship. Even after being shot at, the smaller vessel continued their attempt at fleeing, this time, they shot back with machine guns and rocket launchers. All of a sudden, a large explosion💥was detonated on the suspicious ship, most likely a suicide attempt and an attempt to sink the ship and destroy any evidence. The ship did sink and three members of the Japan Coast Guard were injured and required hospital visits.  Several months later the ship was brought up from the sea floor. After months of investigation it was determined to be a North Korean Spy ship. The ship and many findings are on display at the Japan Coast Guard Museum in Yokohama.  The suspicious boat had a crew of 12 – 15 men on board. A few of the bodies were recovered. The bodies had a Kim II Sung Badge attached to them, which is worn by North Koreans. There were also products on their body that were written in Korean, and many of the weapons found had marks on them that were indications of being from North Korea.  Also found on board the ship was an underwater scooter, dive suits, and a rubber raft. One of the big indications of this ship being a spy ship the Kannon doors in the back and large open space that housed a smaller boat.  All of these artifacts to include the actual spy ship and smaller boat are stored at the museum for visitors to see. Again, this is one of the most interesting and fascinating museums I’ve visited and can’t recommend it enough. The staff was superb, an English speaking volunteer gave us a free tour, we learned so much. The museum is free, but donations are appreciated.  For more information and photos from the JCG Museum, I recommend visiting the Japan Coast Guard Museum Yokohama. Eat your way through Chinatown If you are looking for fun things to do in Yokohama, visiting Chinatown should be high on your list.  Yokohama’s Chinatown is the largest in Japan, dating back to 1859. Chinatown consists of several blocks and alley ways. Visitors can visit the vibrant Buddhist Temples that are scattered throughout Chinatown. There are some interesting souvenir shops worth checking out. But, who comes to Chinatown to shop, when there is so much delicious food to be eaten!  We ate dumplings, dumplings, and more dumplings🥟! There were so many street vendors selling a variety of amazing dumplings. We had fried soup dumplings, sesame dumplings, dumplings and steamed buns in the shape of panda bears, and humongous pork filled steamed buns. The Fried Soup Dumplings (Xiao Long Bo) were my favorite. There was a place called Houtenkaku that made the absolute best fried soup dumplings. They have pork and seafood options. You can get a mix of the two. These dumplings are thick on the bottom and have liquid inside them. The moment you bite into them, liquid squirts everywhere, so be aware of that! But they are oh so good! Talking about them now is making me hungry!  We did manage to go to a sit down restaurant in Yokohama’s Chinatown. It was your traditional Chinese food and was delicious. I love Peking Duck so I ordered that along with spring rolls. Jill had a beef and vegetable dish, she really enjoyed it. I can’t recall the restaurants name, but it seemed most restaurants shared almost identical menus with the exception of a few.  I recommend visiting Chinatown both during the day and night. I recommend coming here for lunch to sample street food then come back during dinner and sit down somewhere. Afterwards, walk the streets and enjoy the lanterns that are strung up throughout Chinatown.  Escape the Hustle and Bustle and Visit Iseyama Kotajingu Compared to other cities in Japan, there didn’t appear to be many shrines scattered throughout Yokohama. Iseyama Kotajingu ⛩ was one of the largest and only shrines within walking distance from Sakuragicho Station.  Iseyama Kotajingu is located in a residential area on top of a hill overlooking the skyscrapers of Yokohama.  Iseyama Kotajingu was built in the 1870’s to worship the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu.  This Shinto shrine isn’t the most impressive shrine we’ve come across in Japan, but it does make for a nice escape, especially after walking around one of Japan’s largest cities for a few days. Iseyama Kotajingu is surrounded by trees, you get a sense of being in nature away from the city. Believe it or not, we saw wild squirrels at this shrine! Might not sound impressive, but we’ve been in Japan for years now and have yet to see a wild squirrel, even with all the forests and mountains here 🐿.  Make your own Cup of Noodles at the Cup Noodle Museum Possibly the most popular museum in Yokohama is the Cup Noodle Museum 🍜. When it comes to fun things to do in Yokohama, this is perhaps the #1 and most well known attraction. Visiting the Cup Noodle Museum in Yokohama was the main reason for our visit to Yokohama.  The Cup Noodle Museum was similar to the ramen museum in the sense that it had a whole floor dedicated to the history of Cup Noodle and how it grew to where it is today. This museum had a bit more interactive displays and exhibits for children. One of the most popular attractions at the Cup Noodle Museum is the My Cup Noodles Factory. This area allows visitors to create their own Cup Noodle, you even get to design your own cup! There is a ¥500 fee for this part of the museum. You pay the ¥500 at a vending machine and an empty cup is provided. The next step is to decorate your cup, markers are provided. After decorating the cup, you go to a counter and get to choose the soup that goes into your Cup Noodle, then select 4 toppings to go into the soup. Afterwards, the employees will shrink-wrap the Cup Noodle and it’s yours to keep! We haven’t gotten around to eating ours yet, not sure if we will or keep it as a fun souvenir.  Guess which Cup Noodle is mine and which one Jill made!  There is the Chicken Ramen Factory portion of the museum, which allows you to create your own Cup Noodle but it is a lot more in depth and reservations are needed. There is also a Cup Noodle Park, but it was closed when we went, possibly due to Covid-19. There is also a Noodles Bazaar – World Noodles Road. This area is similar to the Ramen Museum where there were multiple small shops that serve different types of noodles from all around the world.  Finally, there is a gift shop at the end, visitors can purchase all things Cup Noodle.  Admission Adults – ¥500 *High School aged children and younger are free.  Shop and Eat at the Red Brick Warehouse Event Square If you are looking for a unique place to eat and dine in Yokohama, then I recommend going to the Red Brick Warehouse area. We stopped here a few times while on our trip to either browse the shops or find a restaurant to eat at, and each time, this place was hopping!  There are a few Red Brick Warehouses here on the east side of the Shinko District just south of Akarenga Park. The old brick warehouses have been repurposed to accommodate shops and restaurants. There is a unique variety of restaurants here from Chicago Deep Dish restaurants to Curry Tonkotsu restaurants. There was both indoor and outdoor seating arrangements. The outdoor seating areas allowed dogs to join in on the dining experience.  The weekend we were in Yokohama, there was a large tent in place between the two warehouses and it was full of local izakaya’s and food vendors. Take the Yokohama Air Cabin Directly in front of Sakuragicho Station is the Yokohama Air Cabin 🚠. The Yokohama Air Cabin is a ropeway with cable cars that travels 680m from Sakuragicho Station to Unga Park Station in the Shinko District.  The Yokohama Air Cabin is considered to be the “World’s most advanced urban-type circular ropeway,” according to their website.  There is a pedestrian path below that connects Sakuragicho Station to Unga Park, so why take the Yokohama Air Cabin? Although it is a short ride, 10 minutes or less, you get great views of Yokohama’s skyline both during the day and night. It is also a fun and somewhat relaxing experience. The